THE BEST PATRIOTIC SONGS

A few days after our 68th Independence Day, last year, I gave you a compendium of The Best Azaadi (Independence) Poems, together with their translations. A large number of people have messaged to me that it is the finest compendium available on the Internet.

Now, a few days after our 66th Republic Day, I give you – what I consider as – the best patriotic songs. Sometimes, we are filled with anxiety about our country; at others, we are downright cynical. I myself took a reality check four years back with How Proud Should We Be Of Indian Republic At 62? However, we do recognise the fact that it is better to be free, independent and a sovereign republic than to be under a foreign yoke. With all our problems, there won’t be too many of us who don’t love our country India, both as a geographical entity and as an idea or concept. These songs, therefore, not only reflect our history but how and why we love India, that is, Bharat.

The very first song that comes to mind is of course Vande Mataram. It translates into ‘I praise thee, Mother’; wherein Mother is Bharat Mata. The poem was penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his 1882 classic Anand Math, which was later (in 1952) made into a movie by the same name by Hemen Gupta who was private secretary to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and who, in 1961, directed Kabuliwala based on a story by Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore. The music of the movie was given by my favourite singer and music director Hemant Kumar. Vande Mataram had many versions sung by many; the latest being on music composed by Oscar winner AR Rehman. However, my favourite is naturally the one sung by Hemant da, even though the movie itself had another version sung by Lata Mangeshkar, widely regarded as one of the best.

Lets now turn to Tarana-e-Hind (Anthem of the People of Hindostan) or the National Song of India: Saare Jahan Se Achha or Better Than The Whole World. It was penned by the Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal and was published in the weekly journal Ittehad on 16th Aug 1904. It was the leading poem/song of our opposition to the British rule. In the 1950s, the Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar composed the music of the national song and Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar sang it. It also became the marching tune of the Indian Armed Forces. India’s astronaut, in 1984, in an interview with the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in answer to a question by her as to how India appeared from the outer space promptly replied (and gladdened the hearts of millions of Indians): “Saare jahan se achchha”!

Please enjoy our national song Saare Jahan Se Achchha sung by Lata Mangeshkar on the music of Pandit Ravi Shankar:

Kadam kadam badhaye jaa was the regimental quick march of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Written by Pt. Vanshidhar Shukla. Composed by Ram Singh Thakur who served in Netaji’s Indian National Army and was of Nepali origin. The song is also currently the regimental quickmarch of the Indian Army.

This song sung by Lata Mangeshkar on a day after Republic Day in 1963, immediately after the Sino-Indian War of 1962, in Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi, brought the Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru to tears. In 2013 when the song turned its glorious 50 years, it was sung by Lata ji at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai whereat the Armed Forces personnel with gallantry medals were re-honoured.

The lyrics of the song were written by Kavi Pradeep, the national poet; and the music was composed by C Ramchandra.

After the success of 1957 Mother India, in 1962 Mehboob Khan made Son of India. As compared to the big cast of Mother India including Nargis, Khan took lesser known Simi Grewal, Kamaljith, Jayant and Kumkum in the lead roles. However, he retained the team of my favourite lyricist Shakeel Badayuni and music director Naushad Ali for the songs of the movie. For a young and newly independent nation, the voice of Shanti Mathur singing Nanha Munna Rahi Hoon was just what India wanted. It became a super-hit song instantly and is reflective of a resurgent India.

This song from the 1965 movie Shaheed on the lives and sacrifices of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev still makes my hair stand on end. The lyricist was Prem Dhawan and music was also composed by him. It was sung by Mohammad Rafi. The version that gives you goose pimples is when Bhagat Singh’s mother visits him in the jail before he and his two friends are taken to the gallows. There is promise in the song that ‘O, mother, your son will not die even after he is hanged and is fortunate to be wedded to the nation’.

When it comes to a patriotic song that still gives you goose pimples, there is nothing to beat this one from Chetan Anand’s 1964 movie Haqeeqat (Reality) that sought to recreate the reality of 1962 Sino Indian War. The movie starred Dharmendra and Priya Rajvansh besides Balraj Sajni, Vijay Anand, Jayant and Sanjay Khan.

This song was penned by Kaifi Azmi who had mastered the art of writing simple words powerfully. Music was composed by Madan Mohan and the song was sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Lets turn to a little more modern movie and little more modern song. I love this song for its pathos and quiet resolve in the face of unequal war perpetrated on India by the terrorists from across the border. It brought national acclaim to two people: the story-writer and director of the movie Mani Ratnam and its music director AR Rehman. The 1992 movie Roja was first made in Tamil starring Arvind Swamy and Madhoo who nearly received the National Best Actress Award until she was beaten by Dimple Kapadia. The music got the Best Movie on National Integration Award and Best Music Director award for AR Rehman in his debut movie. The soundtrack of the movie by Rehman was declared by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the ten best sound tracks.

Talking about AR Rehman, one can never forget his Maa Tujhe Salaam that has been sung by him on his own music. Its lyrics are by Mehboob. AR Rehman has a way of reaching to the hearts of our countrymen with his music and this song really assumed iconic proportions.

Please enjoy: Maa tujhe salaam….

maa.N
(mother)

va.nde maataram
(I pray to you, o mother)

yahaa.N-vahaa.N saaraa jahaa.N dekh liyaa hai
(here and there, i have seen the entire world)

kahii.n bhii tere jaisaa ko_ii nahii.n hai
(but, there is no one anywhere like you)

assii nahii.n sau din duniyaa ghuumaa huu.N
(I have travelled across the world, not for eighty, but for a hundred days)

nahii.n kahii.n tere jaisaa ko_ii nahii.n hai
(no one anywhere, like you no one is there)

Lets now turn to a song that has been filmed in the National Defence Academy at Khadakvasala, near Pune (Maharashtra). It is from the 1970 film Aadmi Aur Insaan. Lyrics of this vivacious song were penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and music composed by Ravi. The song was sung by Mahendra Kapoor, S Balbir and Joginder.

Lets get back to 1954 movie Jagriti (Awakening) directed by Satyen Bose. It won the Filmfare Best Movie Award and brought for its lead actor Abhi Bhattacharya the Best Supporting Actor Award. This songs lyrics, once again, are by Kavi Pradeep who has excelled in writing patriotic songs. Music is by Hemant Kumar and the song has been sung by Mohammad Rafi.

What can you say about this song? You can only marvel at its lyrics that represents how India was known for the nation with Sone Ki Chidhiya. Rajinder Krishan, its lyricist needs to be congratulated for the words that became immortal, a cherished dream in later years. Music is by Hansraj Behl who has not only given music for several Punjabi movies but also for Hindi movies. It has been sung by Mohammad Rafi. The song is from the 1965 movie Sikander-e-Azam.

Lastly, I give you a song from Manoj Kumar’s 1967 movie Upkaar in which for the first time the villain Pran shifted to good roles. Manoj Kumar was an artificial stereo-typed actor but he excelled in making movies on patriotic themes. The movie Upkaar was also known for Kalyanji Anandji’s music and Indeevar’s lyrics. This very popular song has been sung in the silk-smooth voice of Mahendra Kapoor.

2 Comments

A very fine collection of patriotic songs,need to be complimented for a super
Selection…however I missed my second most favourite song from Kabuliwalla
sung by Manna de–Ai mere pyare watan,Ai mere bichhde chaman. tujh pe dil kurban.the lines Tere daaman se jo aayen un hawaaon ko salaam……move our hearts and soul everytime we hear it..A Must include evergreen song one can never
tire of hearing.Regards. niraj vohra. Col(retd).

I would have included that Col Vohra but for the fact that the song was sung by an Afghan for his country in the movie Kabuliwala. Similarly, there would be many other patriotic songs sung by foreigners for their respective countries.

About me

I have done a long stint in the Indian Navy that lasted for nearly thirty seven years; I rose as far as my somewhat rebellious and irreverant nature allowed me to. On retirement, in Feb 2010, the first thing that occured to me, and those around me, was that I Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (you will find an article with this title in this blog) and hadn't lost all my noodles and hence thought of a blog titled 'This 'n That'. I later realised that every third blog is called 'This 'n That' and changed the name to 'Sunbyanyname'.
I detest treading the beaten track. This blog offers me to air 'another way' of looking at things. The idea is not just to entertain but also to bring about a change. Should you feel differently, you are free to leave your comments. You can leave comments even when you agree and want to share your own experience about the topic of the blog post.
Impudent or otherwise, I have never been insousciant and I am always concerned about the betterment of community, nation and the world. I hope the visitors of this blog would be able to discern it.